Apparatus for coating metallic anode buttons



March 26, 1957 s. E. KEEFER 2,786,442

APPARATUS FOR comma METALLICANODE BUTTONS Filed Sept. 2, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 41 3b 36 4-1 I 40 3a 4 15 if ,f i

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APPARATUS FOR COATING METALLIC ANODE BUTTONS Filed Sept. 2, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 6250 96: f. xFssnz-w March 26, 1957 G. E. KEEFER 2,786,442

APPARATUS FOR COATING METALLIC ANODE BUT'I ONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 2, 1953 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR COATING lVIETALLIC ANODE BUTTONS George E. Keefer, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illiuois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application September 2, 1953, Serial No. 378,092

1 Claim. (Cl. 118-58) This invention relates to glass-to-metal seals and particularly to an apparatus for coating metallic anode buttons with a layer of glass prior to inserting said buttons in cathode ray tubes.

In the glass-to-metal sealing art, it has generally been known that the glass and metal must have substantially the same thermal expansion characteristics in order to prevent residual stresses from forming in the seal. More recently it has been suggested that the strength of the seal may be improved by application of an oxide coating to the metal prior to sealing and by fusing a glass glaze or coating to the metal prior to scaling. The glass is applied by dipping or spraying a mixture containing a glass powder or frit and a suitable carrying vehicle. The coated metal is then heated to fuse the glass thereto.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel apparatus for applying the glass coating to metallic anode buttons for cathode ray tubes.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Basically the invention comprises two substantially similar units mounted on either side of a conveyor. Each of the units includes an annular series of spindles for carrying the anode buttons. Means is provided for successively feeding buttons to the spindles and applying the coating to each button by spraying. In addition, each unit includes means for transferring the coated buttons to the conveyor, which in turn carries the coated buttons through an oven where the coating is fused to the buttons. As presently used in practice the metallic anode buttons are generally frusto-conical in shape.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an end elevational view of the apparatus, the air and vacuum lines being shown by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan View;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view on a greatly enlarged scale of the means for applying the coating;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary part sectional view at the line 5-5 on Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the apparatus for feeding the buttons to the spindles.

As shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus preferably consists of two similar units 10, 11 on either side of a conveyor 12. As presently described, each of the units is driven from the same power source. Metallic anode buttons B are fed from hoppers 13 to spindles 14 which carry the buttons in an arcuate path. As each button is intermittently moved in the arcuate path, it is coated. A transfer mechanism 15 then transfers the coated button to the conveyor 12 which in turn carries the button through oven 16.

Referring to Fig. 1 the apparatus includes a base 17 and vertical uprights 18. A motor 19 is mounted in the base and drives a lower drive shaft 20 and upper drive shafts 21 and 22. The lower drive shaft is driven through pulleys and belts 23 and the upper drive shafts are driven from the lower drive shaft by chains 24 and 25.

Patented Mar. 26, 1957 The upper drive shafts 21 and 22 each drive the units, 10 and 11, respectively. Each of the units 10 and 11 are of the same basic construction except that they are oppositely driven. For purposes of clarity only one of the units will be described in detail.

The unit 10 includes table 26 mounted for rotation on shaft 27. An annular series of spindles 14 is rotatively mounted in the table 26. A Geneva drive 28 intermittently rotates the table, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The Geneva drive is actuated by a short shaft 29 driven through bevel gears 30 on cross shaft 31. The cross shaft is in turn driven by the upper shaft 21 through bevel gears 32.

Means is also provided for rotating the spindles about their axes during a portion of their travel in an arcuate path. This includes a pulley 33 connected to each spindle on the under side of the table 26. Belt 33, trained over large pulleys 34, 34 contacts the small pulleys during the intermittent rotation of the table and rotates the spindles. The large pulley 34 is driven by the cross shaft 31 by means of a small shaft 35 and bevel gears 30 (Fig. 2). The pulley 34 rotates freely on shaft 46 as shown in Fig. 5, the cross shaft 31 provides the drive for the hopper 13 which includes a mechanism for alining and feeding the buttons to a chute 36.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the lower end of chute 36 is split to permit passage of upper end 37 of the spindle 14. The buttons are retained in the chute by weighted arm 38 pivoted at 39. As a spindle passes through the split end of the chute, the upper end 37 thereof engages a button and forces the weighted arm 38 upwardly thereby permitting the button to be removed from the chute.

The button is then transferred and moved intermittently in an arcuate path to a spraying station where it is in register with a spray gun 40. At the spraying station a wheel 41 is provided to engage the upper portion of the button. In addition, the spindle is rotated by contact with the belt 33. The wheel 41 is rotated by a pulley and belt connection 42 to the end of the upper drive shaft 21. The wheel 41 serves to mask the upper portion of the button and also retain the button on the spindle in relative position to the spray gun. The spray gun may be operated intermittently or continuously but it is preferred that intermittent operation be used. This may be accomplished by a cam actuated valve mechanism, for example, as shown at 43 on the end of the upper drive shaft 21.

After a button has been coated it is carried along in its arcuate path to a transfer arm 44 which transfers it to the conveyor 12. As shown in Fig. 5 the transfer arm 44 is mounted on a vertical shaft 46 journaled in the base. The lower end of the shaft 46 projects below the point of mounting and is connected to a small arm 47 linked to the piston of a small piston motor 48. Actuation of the piston motor causes movement of the transfer arm from a position in register with a spindle to a position overlying the conveyor. The pickup of the coated button is accomplished by means of vacuum through the end of the transfer arm. The intermittent application of the vacuum may be achieved by cam operated valve 49 driven by upper drive shaft 21.

The operation of the apparatus may be summarized as follows:

As the table is rotated and a spindle moves past the chute 36, the spindle removes a button from the chute. The continued intermittent rotation of the table carries each spindle to the coating station where the spindle is rotated about its axis by the belt and the button thereon is contacted by the mask. The glass coating is applied to the button by the spray gun. After application of the coating, the coated button is carried by the intermittent movement of the table into position to be picked up by the transfer arm and transferred to the conveyor. The conveyor in turn carries the button through the oven where the coating is fused.

As shown in the drawing it is preferred that two units be operated simultan ously thereby permitting an increased production. As shown in Fig. 3, when one trans fer arm is picking up aibutton from .the spindle, the other is depositing a coated button on the conveyor.

Modifications may be resorted .to within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

The combination comprising a conveyor, an oven overlying the path .of the conveyor for fusing the .glass coating to anode buttons carried therethrough by the conveyor, a pair of coating units positioned on opposite sides of said conveyor adapted for supplying coated anode buttons, 21 motor, interconnecting drive means between said motor and each said coating unit for driving each said unit; each said unit comprising a table rotatable about a vertical axis, means for intermittently rotating said table about said vertical axis, an annular series .of vertical spindles rotatively mounted-on said table,.means for rotating said spindles about their vertical axes during a portion only of .the rotation of the said table, .automatic means individual to each coating unit .and positioned at a .point along the path-of non-rotation of said passing the-coated buttons through a fusing oven.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES .PATENTS 1,142,136 Bates June 8, 1915 1,547,704 Whitmore et al July 28, 1925 1,907,900 Tevander May 9, 1933 1,959,711 Flint et a1. May 22, 1934 2,210,187 Ross Aug. 6, 1940 2,247,787 Schmidt July 1, 1941 2,254,945 Hunt et a1. Sept. 2, 1941 2,287,356 Newman June 23, 1942 2,330,880 Gladfelter et a1. Oct. 5, 1943 2,350,569 Reynolds June 6, 1944 2,380,306 Hallowell July 10, 1945 2,422,628 'McCarthy June 17, 1947 2,463,570 Spe'icher Mar. 8, 1949 2,489,371 'Friden et a1. Nov. 29, 1949 2,540,623 Law Feb, 6, 1951 

